People arrested for underage drinking in DeKalb County may have to pay $450 to attend counseling through the Ben Gordon Center in DeKalb.

Those charged with underage consumption now may be required to have an assessment at the Ben Gordon Center, 12 Health Services Drive, and then attend counseling.

DeKalb County State’s Attorney Ron Matekaitis announced the new counseling program, which targets underage people who abuse alcohol.

“The focus isn’t on whether they’re of legal drinking age; it’s about how they will treat alcohol,” Matekaitis said.

The counseling will be done in groups, and each person will be required to attend three to five sessions.

Michael Flora, president and CEO at the Ben Gordon Center, said the program is designed not only to be a deterrent, but also an opportunity to be safe in the future.

“We’re really trying to get at individuals who are unmotivated to change,” Flora said. “We’re trying to deter future risk-taking behavior.”

When a person is charged with underage consumption of alcohol, he or she will be assessed at the center to see which level of therapy is needed.

If someone is at low risk, he or she will need 10 hours of therapy. A person at moderate risk needs 22 hours; if at significant risk, 32 hours is needed; and at high risk, 75 hours is needed.

The amount of risk is determined by how many times they have abused alcohol.

Repeat offenders will have to go through counseling again.

“Our hope is that individuals caught again will go into another level of care,” Flora said.

Licensed therapists will run the counseling, which will use motivational principles.

“We want to reinforce the notion that substance abuse is not the norm,” Flora said.

Matekaitis sees the program having long-term incentives for participants.

“Instead of being fined and sent on their way, they’ll get more out of this process,” Matekaitis said.

Laws on the NIU campus are different than city ordinances.

Lt. and Operations Commander Matthew Kiederlen of University Police said students who are found consuming alcohol while underage won’t automatically be arrested and therefore will not be required to attend the counseling.

“It’s a matter of discretion on the part of the officer,” Kiederlen said. “They see if the person is a first-time offender or if this is a regular occurrence.”

Also, a Web site has replaced SUDDS (Students Understanding Drinking Drugs and Self), so students will be able to get suggestions and goals on how to control their problems.

“Our main focus is the prevention of the problem,” Kiederlen said.